


My Dearest One, Here's What You've Done

by Pollarize



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Panic! at the Disco, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: 20's era, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Slow Burn, Voyeurism, fantastic beast au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2018-09-27 16:11:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10030949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pollarize/pseuds/Pollarize
Summary: Josh came over to the United States on a mission to help preserve more of his creatures. He didn't expect to get tangled up with a wannabe, a no-maj, and a giant.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate title "Fantastic! Pilots"
> 
> Inspired by the move Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I'm not going to be following the movie plot for plot so that shouldn't be an issue for you. I just have to borrow certain things, you know? There will be smut at some point (it's me guys, your local hoe)
> 
> Also, gotta give some credit to my little sister, Linden. She saw the movie with me and spent a solid 2 hours in the car meshing out some ideas for this.

The waves crashing against the boat were loud. They lapped at the sides of the boat, up and pushing away, spraying water back onto the ocean. 

 

Josh was mesmerized as he watched, leaning over the railing, the wind blowing through his thin coat. He was cold, shivering slightly against the cold metal. He barely scraped together enough to afford a trip to New York, he would never have had enough to afford First Class, as much as he would have enjoyed standing inside. 

 

Though it was cold, he didn’t mind. He smiled as he looked out, endless stretches of water and gray skies that should have left him feeling upset. He sighed softly as he grabbed his suitcase and went back to a bench, squeezing in between two people. 

 

“Apologies,” he mumbled out, keeping his eyes to the floor. 

 

It was a girl to his right who cleared her throat, trying to be subtle as she called attention to herself. Josh looked up, smiling at her because it was polite and she would never speak first.

 

“Pardon me,” he managed to get out, watching as a blush spread across her cheeks. She was beautiful, really. Blonde hair that was pinned up so it curled around her face and a soft pink lipstick. It made her seem softer, friendlier, somebody approachable. She let out a giggle, covering her mouth.

 

“It’s no trouble, sir,” she said, her voice light and airy. 

 

“Oh, my apologies. My name is Joshua,” he said, not sure if it was possible for the girl’s blush to deepen but it did. He held his hand out to her and she took it, grasping lightly. He leaned down to kiss her knuckles, closing his eyes and sighing as he sat back up. It felt out of place to be around people again and he hated the traditions, the respect. He didn’t feel like he belonged.

 

“Ruth,” she said in return and smiled.

 

It was quiet again between the two of them, chatter around them and waves filling the space but Josh loved it. Ruth seemed to need conversation to fill her time.

 

“Where are you going?” She asked, eyes still on Josh. He looked over to her again, smiling.

 

“Just New York, something new,” he said and she laughed, covering her mouth, trying to be cute. He wasn’t oblivious to her flirting, he could tell from the moment she got his attention.

 

“Silly, I meant where in New York. I wanted to go dancing. A little birdie told me that there was some good dancing on Tin Pan Alley,” she said and Josh nodded his head.

 

“Oh, yes, that sounds lovely,” he said thought truth was, he’d never heard of Tin Pan Alley and he’d definitely never danced. She smiled anyway and nodded, looking away from Josh to the sea.

 

“Would you escort me to Tin Pan Alley?” She asked and Josh didn’t see a way out so he smiled and nodded. 

 

True to his word, Josh escorted her to Tin Pan Alley. It didn’t look like anything much, looming buildings in the same brick color. People walked by on the streets, hugging coats closer to their bodies to keep the chilly wind out. 

 

Ruth laughed nervously, walking down the streets and talking about needing an umbrella.

 

“You wouldn't happen to have one, would you?” She asked, eyes hopeful as she looked at Josh. He smiled apologetically and shook his head.

 

“No, sorry, miss,” he said, looking back to the buildings. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was supposed to be looking for, really. In all honesty, Josh had no idea what Tin Pan Alley was besides that it seemed to involve dancing. He saw music stores with beautiful grand pianos inside, instruments that he’d never seen before and potentially never even heard. Josh was in his own world, dreaming of musical instruments when Ruth turned down an alley. She smiled at him coyly, waving him closer. 

 

“Down here?” He asked and she laughed like he was joking. 

 

“Where else did you think we’re going? This place has the best dancing in town,” she said and Josh was helpless to do anything but follow after her. 

 

He walked down an alley after her, looking down at the dirty ground, the animals that scurried away from feet, the streetlights that didn’t stretch down this far. Josh didn’t know why Ruth was stopping until she was, smiling and knocking on a door that Josh hadn’t even noticed. 

 

A slat in the door opened to reveal a pair of eyes staring at the two of them. She leaned in close, a hand cupping around her mouth, that smile still there though now it seemed devious. 

 

“Pumpernickel,” she whispered, squeaking when the slat slammed closed and the eyes were gone. She stepped back into Josh’s side like he was safe, like he would protect her. She curled a hand around his arm, clinging to him like they hadn’t just met. He was too polite to tell her to stop, anyway.

 

The door opened after a moment and it was almost as dark inside as it was outside. She went in without hesitating, the man at the door obviously annoyed with Josh’s hesitation. He soon followed after her, down stairs and around corners. It wasn’t until he stopped in the hallway that he could hear it. 

 

Sounds of a piano playing, soft and sweet melodies, a woman singing. He heard the sounds of footsteps and glasses being set down. 

 

Ruth went through another set of doors and Josh followed. He was standing in the room where all the music had come from. He saw at the front of the room the woman that had been singing, the piano next to her. There was a long counter next to him, a man behind it with bottles and glasses surrounding him. 

 

“A speakeasy,” Ruth informed him, smiling at him, that devious note still in her smile. Josh nodded his head, feeling more out of place than he had in a long time.

 

“We had them in London,” he said, though he didn’t remember any stories of passwords and basements that had been transformed. She seemed to pick up on that, his curiosity.

 

“There’s a prohibition on the alcohol right now. It takes away the fun of being young, don’t you think?” She asked and Josh just shrugged looking around the room and all the people dancing. 

 

“I never went,” he said, moving his suitcase in front of him and grabbing onto it with two hands. She looked down at his hands, a surprised squeak leaving her mouth. 

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I forgot about your case, do you want to set it down?” She asked and Josh shook his head without giving it a second thought. He raised the suitcase so he could hug it to his chest, feeling it shake slightly when he touched it. She frowned but nodded.

 

“Aren’t you going to dance, drink?” She asked and the thought was almost laughable for him. He’d never done either of those in his entire life and he wasn’t sure he wanted to start now.

 

“No, I don’t think I will. I’m not much of a dancer,” he explained, mostly not wanting to set his suitcase down. Josh felt it shake again in his arms and he knew that whatever odd look Ruth gave him would be worth it. He had some sneaky creatures that he kept with him, his trust for those was very slim. 

 

Ruth pouted but nodded anyway, going over to the counter. She waved him over, sitting at a barstool. Josh was a little hesitant but then he was sitting next to her, smiling polite, his suitcase on the floor. He rested his feet on the suitcase, keeping an eye on it without physically having to watch it.

 

“Have you ever been to a speakeasy before?” She asked, nudging him and nodding towards the man who was tending things. “Don’t you know that you’re supposed to buy a lady a drink?” She asked and Josh felt a blush on his own cheeks.

  
“No, I’ve never been to one before,” he said, knowing that he didn’t have the right currency in his pockets. He didn’t know how to remedy that besides magic. 

 

She pouted again and Josh sighed, standing up and grabbing his suitcase. 

 

“I’ll just be in the john a minute,” he managed to get out, turning away from her. He met eyes with another man, sitting in a dark corner. He looked surprised when Josh noticed him, short brown hair cut close to his scalp and a long black coat that looked warmer than what Josh had on. His own suit coat was tattered and singed in places, the brown fading into black where it had gotten dirty and hadn’t been cleaned. 

 

The man smiled at Josh, looked like he’d wave him over if Josh hadn’t looked away.

 

He thought that this what people had meant when he said he was going to America, when they warned him of alternative lifestyles. Josh blushed at what that might have meant because he hadn’t ever been around it before. He didn’t know what to do with that kind of attention on him.

 

He went into the john like he’d said he would, finding a man in there who was leaning against the wall, too drunk to stand. Josh considered it borrowing when he found the man’s wallet on the floor. He didn’t think it could be considered stealing when he stood in the corner of the room and whispered  _ ‘accio’  _ to himself. 

 

“Apologies,” Josh whispered as he slipped back out of the john, walking back to the counter where he found Ruth smiling at him. 

 

“I thought you were slipping out the back,” she teased, grinning when Josh asked what she drank. He ordered the same for himself, unsure what any of the fancy names were for the drinks. 

 

“You’ve got an admirer,” she said, the smile slipping from her lips. Josh hadn’t seen Ruth grimace until now, her so far cheery attitude dimmed and Josh looked around to find what she was looking at. It was the man from before, still staring at him. He didn’t have any shame, meeting Josh’s eyes this time and not the hint of a blush at getting caught. Josh shrugged, not too bothered by the stare.

 

“Is that bad?” He asked, looking back to Ruth who looked a little upset that Josh wasn’t angered by the stare.

 

“If you like that kind of attention,” she said, only smiling again when her drink was set in front of her. 

 

She ordered two more for each of them before she was getting off of the stool, holding a hand out.

 

“Dance with me,” she said, smile from ear to ear. Josh had forgotten about the man watching him, the creatures in his suitcase. He forgot about everything besides that fuzzy feeling that had him standing up, too.

 

“What about my suitcase?” He asked, raising the hand that still clutched it. She waved her hand dismissively. 

 

“Just set it down.”

 

Josh didn’t know then that it would cause a problem. He listened because all he could think of was what’s the harm? What could go wrong? So he set it down under the counter and took Ruth’s hand. He followed her out with the other couples and Josh’s head swam, his veins feeling warm. She held his hand and twirled under his arm, she grinned at him when she stepped closer, almost pressing against him before pulling away. Josh was laughing, having the time of his life. 

 

He saw it out of the corner of his eye. 

 

Josh turned and watched his suitcase shake, tipping onto its side. He saw the streak of black fur, the orange mouth head around the corner towards the stairs. Up and away, following a woman with jewels around her neck. 

 

“No,” Josh whispered, tripping as he pulled away from Ruth. He dove for his suitcase before practically running out of the bar, up the stairs and looking both ways. He saw it up the road a little, black fur dashing between feet.    
  
“Sir,” someone called from behind Josh, at the entrance to the speakeasy. Josh didn’t have time to look who it was, instead dashing off after the niffler that had escaped.    
  
He dashed between people, tripping over his feet, head down as he tried to follow after the creature. Josh finally got out of the throng of people, able to run faster to try and catch up to animal. He didn’t even notice the sign that was on the corner of the building, sticking out a little too far for people that cut the corners. Josh smacked his head on the metal, knees buckling underneath him until he was laying on the ground, staring up at the sky and a concerned pair of eyes and brown hair.

 

“Woah there, buddy,” the person said and Josh tried to ask who it is, ask for help standing because he needed to find his animal but the world was fading. 

  
All Josh managed to get out was a confused noise before everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

It was cold and dark when Josh finally blinked his eyes open. There was hands on him instantly, a soft chuckle.

 

“Clocked yourself pretty good there, pal,” the voice said, only making the ache in Josh’s head hurt worse.

 

“What happened?” Josh managed, a hand moved to his forehead, a small hiss leaving his mouth. He pulled his hand away to find blood on them, leaving behind a stinging in his forehead. He didn’t remember much of what happened besides that he had been chasing his niffler. 

 

“Saw you running after something, hit a sign and fell. Sorry that it’s cold. I couldn’t drag you without drawing attention from the bulls or something. We’re just in an alley,” he explained and Josh finally looked over to find a man with brown hair and a pleasant smile.

 

“Really? Good gravy, I need to go,” he said, shifting to try and get up. He felt the world spin around him and he fell back against the wall he’d been leaning against previously. 

 

“You’re a little sauced, buddy, ever drank a little juice before?” The man asked and Josh frowned, looking back over at him. He almost pouted, wishing he could take back the drinks after the first. Ruth kept smiling and he didn’t want to make her sad. Josh looked down at his lap and shrugged.

 

“Juice? No, I’ve never really done anything. I spent most of my years travelling and uh, documenting,” he explained, tipping his head back and letting it rest on the cold bricks. It wasn’t soft the way a pillow would be but it soothed the fiery feeling in his veins. 

 

“Some bearcat hook you?” He asked and Josh was about to answer when he heard a woman gasp and saw something fly by in the corner of his eyes. Josh turned his head to see a woman at the entrance of the alley touching her neck and chest, turning to the man next to her. 

 

“Some slick boy nicked my jewels,” she shouted, looking around her to try and find the boy she assumed would do it. Josh knew better than to believe it was a young boy in need of a couple quick dollars. Josh was scrambling to his feet, stumbling when his head spun and the threat of vomit was all too real. There were hands on his hips, pulling him back and down.

 

“Don’t think you’re ready there, bimbo,” the man said and Josh tried to push at the man’s hands. 

 

“I need to go, he’ll get into something,” Josh begged, his feet still moving, keeping him upright for the moment. He ran into the lady, hearing her screech and the man yell. Josh mumbled his apologies as he ran off down the road, not even sure he’d find his niffler. He could hear shouting from behind him, the same brown haired man that had been so kind to help him. 

 

There were feet running after Josh and then the man was next to him again, running alongside of Josh with concerned eyes trained on Josh.

 

“What’re you chasing?” He asked and Josh didn’t know how to answer. He didn’t typically deal with people when he was back in London and when he had travelled. He kept to himself and didn’t usually train himself on the rules of using magic around muggles. He didn’t know about this man and it tripped him up. He stopped running then, looking over to the man. 

 

“Just,” he started, looking up ahead on the street to try and find the black fuzz. Josh peaked in women’s purses and in shop fronts, hoping to see a sign of his niffler. The man was looking around but still unaware of if he’d know when he saw it. “A pet, he escaped and I have got to get him back,” Josh explained, sighing softly. The man gave him a weird look but nodded anyway. 

 

“You carried a pet with you, all the way from London?” He asked, giving Josh a weird look. Josh just shrugged, looking over to the man.

 

“What? You don’t carry pets around with you?” Josh asked, knowing that it wasn’t common to carry things in a suitcase. Especially one’s that expanded and grew to his desires. The man just sighed and shook his head.

 

“Everything’s jake, just curious,” he said and they continued walking.

 

Josh saw it up ahead, between a man’s legs, darting away after a second. It was a little black ball and then it was gone. 

 

“Bugger!” Josh yelled, pushing through a crowd of people. The man he was with trailed after him closely, shouting the whole way. 

 

His niffler turned down an alley and Josh was about to shout for joy, glad that he could corner the niffler and hopefully shove him into the suitcase before anyone had a chance to notice that jewels were missing. 

 

Josh almost ran into the back of a woman, barely noticing that the wall at the end of the alley was open, that it was a door into a room. The woman all had pearl necklaces and their hair done up in a fancy do. Their dresses flowed and had strings that hung off, that moved when they did. The man was next to Josh again, grabbing at the sleeve of Josh’s jacket.

 

“A joint? I’ve never seen this one before,” he said, confusion on his face. They got to the front and there wasn’t even a door guard to stop them. 

 

Once Josh was inside he turned around, watching as the doorway sealed up, bricks laying themselves out of thin air, posters covering the wall from the inside. He was quickly realizing that he’d stumbled into a magical speakeasy.

 

He turned back to find all different sorts of people dancing. Men and women of all different races. There was a group of goblin’s in the corner, a giant on the dance floor, and someone casting charms that Josh had never seen before. 

 

Josh still wasn’t very comfortable inside the joint, too many people, too much something. Josh had never been around illegal things, people, actions. Besides, of course, his creatures. There were a lot of laws and rules that he’d broken when he rescued them, when he nursed them back to health. He thought it was ridiculous that he could be considered an outlaw, thrown in a cell because he had too big of a heart.

 

Josh shrugged it off, sitting down on a barstool and looking over to the man that had come with him. 

 

“You helped me?” Josh asked, looking over to him. The man looked utterly bewildered and a little terrified. Josh hadn’t even considered the possibilities that this man wasn’t part of the magic community. “Bugger, you’re a mug- you aren’t magic, yeah?” He asked, that catching the man’s attention. He, for the first time since they’d entered the room, turned his attention to Josh.

 

“Magic? That doesn’t exist,” he said, watching as a purple firework flew past them. They both turned to look at two men, wands out and laughing. Josh didn’t think too much of it but then again, he had his own wand tucked into the inside of his jacket. The man next to him seemed to choke. 

 

“Sit, why don’t you,” Josh said, staring over at him as he stood up and guided the man to a barstool. The man clutched at his chest for a moment, wide eyes staring at nothing. 

 

“I promised my mother that I was going to lay off the funny foods that my friend gave me,” he said, voice almost too quiet for Josh to hear. It was a new situation for Josh, people in general were new for him. He sighed and shrugged, crouching down in front of him.

 

“A bit much, I’d say. There’s some amazing stuff, though,” he explained, holding a hand out as he stood back up. “I’m Josh,” he said, waiting patiently until the man grasped his hand, looking up at him.

 

“Brendon,” he said in return, trying to force in a deep breath. He looked like he was shaken to his very core and trying not to curl up and cry. Josh felt a little guilty, not sure what else he should do. He was going to offer to escort Brendon out since he was sure it was overwhelming when he was interrupted, a tap to his shoulder. Josh turned to find a tall man next to him, towering above him. He wasn’t tall enough to be a true giant, Josh was sure of that but he stuck out next to humans and wizards alike.

 

“Can I get you something?” He asked and it was such an odd request to Josh. He hadn’t ever spent time in a bar so he wasn’t familiar with flirtatious passes but he knew enough to guess that this was one. He was even more unfamiliar with men that were attracted to other men. Josh didn’t mind, really, he just didn’t spend his time on trivial things like relationships.

 

“I don’t drink,” he said, though his mouth still tasted of alcohol and he was sure that it could be smelled on his breath. Josh thought he was doing okay but he swayed occasionally, balance coming back slowly. The man looked a little offended but didn’t say anything else, nodding and backing away. 

 

Brendon looked up, opening and closing his mouth a few times.

 

“I’ll take a drink,” he called as the man who had just came over started to turn away. He stopped and turned back, glancing at Brendon. 

 

Josh stepped off to the side, not wanting to impose on whatever started between them. He watched a little curiously, Brendon talking to the taller man who looked a little older than Brendon. His hair flopped into his face, a smile that only came out when Brendon said something humorous. They seemed to get along and Josh was trying to figure out what was happening between them when somebody walked up to him. 

 

Josh had seen this man before. It was in the other joint, the one in the corner who had smiled at him.

 

“Following me?” Josh asked, his back leaning against the countertop. He felt a little cornered in, unsure of the motives of this man. He could hardly imagine somebody bad that would be after him but he could never be too careful.

 

“A tad,” he confessed, smiling anyway. 

 

He wore a long black coat, worn loosely indoors. His appearance was entirely unimpressive, plain features that melted into the other faces but Josh seemed to like that about him. He wanted to know the man more, understand what was behind his eyes because ultimately, that’s what Josh appreciated most. 

 

“I’m Tyler,” he introduced himself, his hand staying in his pockets where it had been the whole time. Josh didn’t extend his hand either, smiling back instead. He tilted his head to the side curiously.

 

“Josh. So you’re a wizard, then? What were you doing in a muggle place like that?” He asked, figuring that if he had any interest in drinking, even if he swayed when he stood up straighter, that he wouldn’t limit himself in a place that he couldn’t use magic. Josh would find himself at this very counter, ordering drinks that glowed and spurted, hissed at him when he brought it to his mouth. 

 

“Muggle?” He asked, nose scrunching in his confusion. Josh stared at him for a moment, blinking, trying to understand where the confusion was in his wording. 

 

“People who can’t use magic?” He clarified and Tyler’s mouth made the shape of an ‘o’.

 

“Apologies, we call them no-maj’s,” he said and Josh nodded understandingly, waiting for Tyler to continue. No-maj or muggle, he was still curious. “And, well, I don’t know. I like the atmosphere of that juice-joint. It’s dark and secluded, a little hazy.” He shrugged it off like it was no different than the place they were now. Josh figured that maybe he had a point. This establishment seemed a little more high energy, spells and things flying around heads, a singer on stage and a lot of dancing. Ruth had wanted to slow dance at the other joint, this was a different type of dance altogether. 

 

Tyler leaned down and grabbed the case between Josh’s legs, staring at it. Josh wasn’t sure if the charms on it were obvious to the naked eye or not. He didn’t want to explain what he was hiding. 

 

“An interesting suitcase you’ve got,” Tyler said, looking back up to Josh. He raised his eyebrows when Josh pulled it from his hands carefully, being gentle to not disturb any of his creatures. He was still on a hunt for his niffler. He’d gotten distracted as is. Tyler seemed confused and a little curious but didn’t comment on it. 

 

“Could I get you a drink?” He asked finally, nodding at the bartender, waiting as he came over and looked at Tyler expectantly. 

  
What Josh meant to say was something along the lines of ‘no thank you, I don’t drink, I don’t need anymore.’ But instead, what left his mouth was “yes please.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You're probably just gonna write about not giving me credit and then not even credit the words that I said."

Tyler was sweet and he talked a lot. He handed drinks to Josh when Josh finished his previous one and by the end of the night, Josh had forgotten about his niffler. He was laughing, smiling, not minding when Tyler asked him all these questions.

 

“Just trying to get to know you, Josh,” he said and smiled and Josh believed it. 

 

Tyler leaned against the counter and moved in closer, claiming the music was too loud to hear Josh properly. He rested his hand on Josh’s arm for a little longer than a friend normally would have but then again, Josh didn’t really know. Josh just smiled and thanked Tyler for the conversation, leaning in himself when it seemed like Tyler was getting quieter. 

 

They both froze when Brendon returned, the tall man with him. Josh pulled away from Tyler, eyebrows scrunched as he looked at the two.

 

“Where were you off to?” Josh asked, too dark in the room to notice the blush on Brendon’s cheeks. 

 

“The John,” he said, looking between Josh and Tyler, almost challenging them to say something. Neither did and, frankly, Josh was confused what there was to say about it. 

 

“I’ve got to get back,” the taller man said, turning and leaving. Brendon seemed to be pouting as he watched the man go but didn’t question it.

 

“What was that about?” Josh asked and Brendon turned back to him, sighing softly. 

  
“Works here or something,” Brendon explained and that seemed to be good enough for Josh. 

 

Josh tried to stand up, the swaying worse than after leaving the no-maj joint. Tyler caught him, holding his arm and claiming it was for balance.

 

“You should head home, Josh,” Tyler said, smiling sweetly at him. He was patient the whole time, holding him up and waiting as the gears in Josh’s head slowly processed.

 

“I don’t have a place,” he finally admitted and Brendon seemed to sadden a little at that fact. They both stared at him, trying to understand where Josh intended on staying while he was in America. Josh just shrugged, looking down at the ground and pulling his arm away. “It’s not a big deal. I was gonna go west. I can sleep on a bus,” he explained but Tyler shook his head.

 

“No, you’ll stay with me tonight,” Tyler said, not giving another option. Brendon looked over at him and then scooted closer, grabbing his arm. 

 

“Can he come with me?” Josh asked and Tyler seemed a little hesitant before nodding. Brendon gave a weird look to Josh before following, sighing when they were outside. Josh and Brendon walked behind Tyler, keeping a small distance from him.

 

“Why do you want me to come? I’ve got my own place,” he said, looking down, “It’s not much and I share it with a friend but,” he stopped when Josh shrugged.

 

“Sorry, that’s not what people do?” He asked, looking over to Brendon who seemed utterly bewildered. Brendon shook his head and Josh tried on a small smile. “Sorry, then. I wouldn’t be upset if you went home instead. I just thought you might need answers to some questions,” He offered, almost classifying Brendon as a friend at that point. Josh never really had someone to talk to for the last couple of years, too busy and too much travel. 

 

Brendon sighed but he never turned a different direction. He continued to follow Tyler into an apartment building, up the stairs and into the small home. Tyler’s eyes lingered on Josh, calculating, judging, all of it going over Josh’s head. 

 

“Lovely home,” Josh said instead, standing by the door and looking around. He didn’t know what was expected of him so he shrugged his jacket off and folded it over his arm. He unbuttoned his shirt at the collar, loosened his cuffs. It was as comfortable as he could get in a stranger's home. 

 

“Thank you. If it’s cheaper for you to stay here, I don’t mind. The sofa is all yours and, well, I don’t have a spare bed, I apologize,” he said, looking to Brendon then. He just shrugged, mumbling to Josh that that wasn’t the worst thing he’s slept on. 

 

The night died quickly after that. It was Josh’s first time ever drinking any sort of alcohol, first time being drunk. His head hit the pillow that Tyler had offered to them and Josh was out. 

 

*

 

It was nighttime when Brendon suggested that they go back.

 

“Which place on Tin Pan Alley?” Josh asked because he knew of two. He knew there were more but there were no intentions of finding them anyway.

 

“The special one,” he said, a light in his eyes at the thought of sneaking around wizards and witches. Josh had answered a lot of questions the night before and then immediately put a finger to his lips.

 

“You aren’t supposed to know so keep it quiet, alright?” He had said and Brendon nodded quickly.

 

They stood outside of the joint, staring at a regular wall for a long time, going back and forth that they were sure it had been right there. It was a young lady who came by, staring at them with a confused expression. She explained that it was a simple charm as a password before the bricks melted away, revealing the door behind them. Brendon’s eyes were wide and he tried to plaster on a smile when the girl turned and looked at him.

 

The tall man was on stage that night, singing about vampires and bikes. He swayed on stage to the music, his eyes closed as the words left his mouth. Brendon had a hard time tearing his eyes away.

 

“He’s a sheik, don’t you think?” Brendon asked, leaning against the bar when they stopped. Josh looked at him, raising his eyebrows.

 

“Sheik?” He asked, looking up to the man that was singing. 

 

“Like,” Brendon started, his head hanging as he tried to find the words. Josh turned to look at him, noticing it seemed to be a hard topic for him to elaborate on. “Like a lady, he’s a sheik.” 

 

Josh still didn’t understand but he nodded and let it drop. Brendon didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about it.

 

Josh still carried his suitcase with him, not leaving at Tyler’s even though he’d agreed to stay another night. They had asked what his plans were and when Josh looked down and shrugged, Tyler and Brendon both practically forced him to take refuge on Tyler’s couch. He stood in the joint with his suitcase by his side and got odd looks from passersbys but that didn’t even register to Josh. 

 

The singing stopped and Josh noticed how Brendon stood up straighter, smoothed his hair back, put a smile on his face. Josh would have asked why the sudden change but then he saw it. 

 

The tall man from the night before was off of the stage, walking towards the bar and in turn, Brendon. The man smiled when he saw Brendon, too. 

 

“You came back,” he said standing in front of Brendon and Josh with his hands in his slacks pockets. It looked like he wanted to do more than just stand and smile but hesitated. 

 

“Josh wanted to come again,” Brendon said though that was the opposite of how things had happened. Josh had wanted to stay in Tyler’s home, read, sleep. He didn’t want to go out and drink any sort of bootlegged liquor. Especially not with how he woke up. 

 

“Josh, is it?” The man asked, smiling politely and turning to him. He held a hand out to Josh, looking between him and Brendon. “Forgive me, I didn’t introduce myself previously. My name is Dallon.” Josh took his hand and smiled back. 

 

The suitcase in his hand shook and Josh winced. Dallon’s eyes went from Josh’s face down to his case curiously. 

 

“Something magic?” He asked and that seemed to get Brendon’s attention, too. Josh looked around before stepping in closer to Dallon. He wasn’t worried about Brendon ratting him out. 

 

“I can show you. Promise to keep it quiet?” He asked and Dallon’s smile fell before turning into a smirk. Josh laughed a little nervously but nodded, starting to make his way to the johns for some sort of privacy. They were almost inside the door when somebody called Josh’s name, freezing him in place. Josh looked like he’d gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

 

When he turned around it was only Tyler, smiling and waving as he walked closer. 

 

“Your stuff was gone, I didn’t know where you had gone. I thought that you might have come back here,” he explained, confused as he stood next to the three of them, looking over to the john door. “What’s going on?” He asked and Josh sighed. 

 

He grabbed the front of Tyler’s shirt and dragged him inside, followed by Brendon and Dallon. 

 

Josh ignored the questions he was getting, setting his suitcase down and opening it. Brendon frowned when he didn’t see clothes inside of it. Instead, it was just black. They all peered into it, confused when the black kept going and going. Along the side there was a ladder that led down. Josh knew that it was risky but he couldn’t help himself. It was the chance to show off his creatures, even the ones that wizards and witches alike thought were inherently evil. Josh knew them better than anyone else.

 

“Go on, then,” he said and, surprisingly, Brendon was the first to climb inside. Dallon and Tyler watched as he disappeared inside the suitcase. Dallon went next, saying something about the absurdity of it all. Tyler stalled, though, looking over to Josh.

 

“What’s down there?” He asked, the worry in his eyes was obvious. Josh just shrugged, smiling at him. 

  
“Why don’t you find out?” 

 

Tyler hesitated, glaring at Josh for a second before he climbed inside as well, hesitating when he was halfway inside. He looked up at Josh who smiled reassuringly. Tyler was gone after that. Josh went in last, pulling the lid to his suitcase over top as he went down. 

 

The darkness melted away to reveal a small room, cramped with four people inside of it. It had shelves floor to ceiling with various things. Some of them glowed, some of them smoked where they sat but Josh was unconcerned. He squeezed between Dallon and Tyler to where a door had been hidden.

 

“Be quiet,” he said, his smile growing fond. “They get a little nervous around new people but I promise, they're harmless.”

 

He opened the door and heard gasps from behind him.

 

“Is it like a whole world?” He heard Brendon ask and Josh shrugged.

 

“I guess so. Just big enough for everyone,” he said, stepping out into a desert. A tumbleweed rolled past them and when he looked up there was a sun in the sky. Josh put his arm up to block it out, still squinting as he looked around. The other three followed him as Josh walked, staring with wide eyes. 

 

Josh reached out into the air and grabbed the air, pulling it back to reveal a different scene behind it. Tyler went through first, stepping into snow and fast winds that messed everyones hair up. It had them shivering within seconds, clutching thin jackets closer to their frames. 

 

“This is incredible,” Dallon said, his voice wavering as he shivered. Josh smiled, walking forward and listening for a moment as snow crunched under his feet.

 

“I apologize, I was just taking a shortcut,” he said, reaching forward and grabbing thin air again. This time it opened as a door.

 

Beyond this door was soft sunshine, filtered by treetops. It was a relaxing atmosphere, soft grass and wildflowers scattering the floor. Josh felt most at peace here. 

 

“These guys are my favorite,” he said, walking up to a tree. Upon first glance, there wasn’t anything in the tree and the other three gathered around, confused what Josh found so amazing. They were quiet for a moment, the rest of them practically holding their breath. It happened slowly, the leaves shaking and then something small and green peeking out. 

 

One out of them all came quicker, walking to the end of the leaf, looking like it was stretching out to Josh. It tumbled off the end of the leaf and with how quick Josh was to react, it seemed like it was a common occurrence. He held his hand up, showing off the small creature in his hand.

 

“They’re bowtruckles,” he said, smiling down at the faceless creature that laid down in his palm. Brendon was the one who got closest, looking down at it and making a small noise of appreciation. 

 

“It likes you?” He asked and Josh shrugged, trying not to sound over confident or full of himself. 

 

“I think so,” he said, his words seeming shy. “I tried not to show any special treatment but I think he’s the runt of the group. He was getting picked on,” Josh said and the faces around him seemed to sadden. He put the bowtruckle on his shoulder, stepping away from the tree with all the others. “I named him Timmy.” 

 

They moved on, walking through the room. Dallon, Tyler, and Brendon were all still amazed, trying to get used to the fact that although it looked like it stretched on forever, they’d come to the end of the forest and would step into some other world. They didn’t leave the forest. Instead, they came to another tree, the trunk thicker. It was obvious old, having been there for years.

 

At the roots, the ground had been burrowed into, something obviously having made a home beneath the tree. Josh crouched down and stuck his hand under the tree, feeling around, tongue poking out of his lips. 

  
“Come on, little guy,” he said, eyes lighting up as he finally grabbed whatever it was. He pulled it out and Brendon’s face was shocked.

 

“Horsefeathers, what is that? It’s not a pretty sight,” he said, eyes wide as he looked at the creature. Josh couldn’t argue with his observation. Of all the creatures that Josh had seen and collected, this one was not one of his favorites. It looked like a naked mole rat, buck teeth that stuck out past it’s lips. On it’s back were tentacles, each wiggling, obviously distressed about being held up by it’s tail. 

 

“Be nice to him,” Josh said, sighing quietly. “It’s a murtlap. Their tentacles are useful. Helps with jinxes and curses. They can go bad but I haven’t had any problems,” he said, hesitating and shrugging. “I think.”

 

Dallon reached out, intending on touching one of the tentacles. He was almost there when the creature screeched, it’s back arching and it’s teeth sinking into Dallon’s finger. The man yelped, yanking his hand back and clutching it to his chest.    
  
“What?” He asked, almost sounding offended but mostly confused. Josh dropped the murtlap, not able to keep a hold of it with how it thrashed. 

 

“How rude,” Brendon said, turning to Dallon and checking his hand. 

 

“Ryan didn’t mean it,” Josh said, trying to defend his creature. He didn’t want to leave his creatures and give Dallon a bad taste in his mouth about them.

 

Tyler was watching curiously, not having spoken up or moved when Dallon got bit.

 

“Is it poisonous?” He asked, that being the only concern he had. Josh shook his head, dusting the dirt off of his hands.

 

“No. He might feel hot for a few hours but it won’t kill him,” Josh explained, having remedies in the room lined with shelves. He didn’t think that Dallon would need anything. 

 

“Should be careful with those animals,” Tyler said, sighing and then smiling. It was small but polite. He was offering up friendly advice. Josh’s hand went to cover where the bowtruckle had tucked himself under Josh’s collar. 

  
“They’re harmless,” he said, hoping that Tyler understood. 


	4. Authors Notes

Hi, 

I know this is probably going to come as a disappointment to some of you but I am going to end this story right now. 

This doesn't mean it wont be finished, though.

Lately, my writing and planning style has changed. My sister and I have been developing some other stories (that I'm really excited for) and I've sort of lost interest in this one. I still love the idea and concept behind it, but not a lot of planning went into this. It was kind of a rush job because I just wanted to  _do_ it and never really thought through what I wanted. There are so many plot holes that I don't like and I feel like this story deserves better than rushed and poor writing. 

I'm not taking this down though. I am just putting it on hold, I guess. I'm going to rewrite this and come back to it when I've had time to talk through it and work out the things that need to be worked out. 

I also don't like leaving things unfinished. I see so many stories that get abandoned and I've made it my mission to never do that to a story of my own. If you have read through my other stuff (particularly my multichapters) they all are rushed and poorly planned and I regret them. One of them gets a lot of attention still and I have no fucking clue why but it does. 

SO, I just wanted to let you know what's going on. For now, I will not be updating this. But please understand, it will come back. This is not a concept I'm abandoning. I just want to make it better. 

If you are interested in reading more of this then subscribe to this story or to my page, whatever you wish. When I publish it again and am satisfied, I will post a link in here. After the new version is up and going then this one will be taken down.

For any of you curious (or may have noticed my shift in pairings) all of the pairings/characters will stay the same. This will still be Joshler (with that good side Brallon). 

ANYWAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND YOUR VIEWS. I DON'T THINK THAT I SAY IT ENOUGH BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS SO SO MUCH. I WAS NEVER VERY HAPPY WITH MY WRITING BUT HEARING THE FEEDBACK AND PRAISE FROM YOU GUYS IS SO UPLIFTING AND WRITING HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE OUTLET FOR ME AS WELL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 

**Author's Note:**

> Might be a new chapter up soon, I don't know. Comment and let me know what you thought.


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